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In terms of technology, the chemical industry at Stenungssund, Sweden, could make the switch today to a renewable raw material as a partial base for its production, according to a recent report from a Swedish national Forest Chemistry project, using existing technology for making plastics from petrochemicals.

However, for the industry to achieve a level of profitability when using wood or woody waste as feedstock comparable to that of using chemicals refined from fossil oil, political support measures similar to those in place for certain types of bioenergy production would be needed, the report authors from SP Processum and Chalmers Technical University say.

“The project shows that it is possible to replace parts of the fossil raw material and to continue and to use existing technology, but [production] volumes and economics are more tricky bits. The conclusion is that ‘green’ chemicals would need to be supported by incentives similar to those in place for bioenergy production”, said Bio4Energy scientist Leif Jönsson, professor at Umeå University, who led one of the Forest Chemistry research projects on the so-called Sugar Platform.

The research in Forest Chemistry focused on three tracks of the chemical-making operations: Production of butanol, olefins and methanol extracted from the sulphate process of pulping operations. An environmental impact assessment was performed by Bio4Energy researchers at the SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden in the form of a life-cycle assessment attempting to gauge the environmental and climatic impact of switching 25 per cent of the raw material base for the totality of the production at the industrial cluster to woody feedstock, as compared with a continued used of petrochemical feedstock.

“We have examined the preconditions both for processes in which cellulose-based ethanol and methanol made by gasification of raw materials from the forest are produced as starting materials from the production of chemicals and plastics. The project results show that it is feasible to use existing techniques, even if additional technological progress is welcome as it would make the processes more efficient.

“Looking at the technical side of things is very important since, in addition to bulk products, one could make high value-added products. There is good reason to continue the work, for instance on lignin products”, according to Jönsson.

Bio4Energy’s LCA researchers on the project stressed the importance of assessing the sustainability of products coming out of the cluster along their collective value chain.

“One has to look at the whole value chain. This is a very important result of the project for industry”, said Johanna Berlin who works as a research and business developer at the SP’s Gothenburg branch.

“If environmental impact strategies are designed based on what happens inside the gates of an industry cluster only, one runs the risk of causing greater emissions outside the gates than necessary”, Berlin added.

The Forest Chemistry project, started in 2012, has involved cooperation by chemical and forestry industry, as well as scientists from the academy and consultants from research institutes. It has served to bring two industries together which previously would have had little contact, and bred an understanding that industry and academy need to cooperate for society to realise a transition to a bioeconomy, according to the project’s final report, published last month.

“The project has succeeded in bringing together the forestry industry and biorefinery industry and academic actors. The parties appreciate this very much and would like to see a continuation”, Jönsson said.

For the period of 2015 – 2017, SNS is collaborating together with the Nordic Joint Committee for Agricultural and Food Research (NKJ) by financing four Nordic research networks. The aim of this funding opportunity is to promote international and cross-sectorial networking between researchers and stakeholders from the agricultural and forestry sectors.

These networks will form a platform for communication as well as assess challenges, knowledge gaps and opportunities in the areas of sustainable biomass utilisation and production in both sectors, while in context of the transition to a greater bio-based economy.

The Nordic Council of Ministers, along with SNS, are highly active within the EU Strategy for the Baltic Reagion (EUSBSR).

In connection to the 6th EUSBSR Forum in Latvia, a homepage for the EUSBSR Bioeconomy was launched last week.

Welcome to explore the site with an interactive map and a “Resources” section that includes the key documents for realising the bioeconomy in the EUSBSR. There is also a possibility to read the Newsletters and become updated on activities and projects.

The First Call:
OPEN CALL – The Centre of Advanced Research (CAR)

Over the course of the past 10 years (2005-2015), the Nordic Forest Research Cooperation Committee (SNS) has established and supported 4-5 CARs (Centres of Advanced Research). SNS has evaluated CARs to be an important and effective tool for forest research and long-term networking in the Nordic region and adjacent countries. SNS has decided to announce an OPEN call for CARs 2016-2020.

Timeline of Call and Application period:
Deadline for applications for new CAR-projects for the period 2016-2020 is 15.9.2015 at 24:00 CET. The applications will be externally reviewed and successful applicants will be notified in December 2015 with project start January 1st 2016.

Rules of Applications and the Application Form can be viewed and downloaded HERE

The Second Call:
OPEN CALL – SNS Research Projects to begin in 2016

SNS would like to announce a call for SNS research projects to start in 2016. Projects should relate to the prioritised themes of the SNS strategy. SNS wishes to initiate projects which focus on “Forestry within bioeconomy, climate, and social-aspects” that are key elements in both, national, regional and EU strategies.

Timeline of Call and Application period:
The call will be announced on Wednesday the 17th of June 2015
Deadline for application is September 15th 2015 at 24:00 CET. Successful applicants will be notified in December 2015 and financing will start in January 2016.

Rules of Applications and the Application Form can be viewed and downloaded HERE

Carbon sequestration, water protection and biodiversity are key environmental services provided by the Nordic and Baltic forests, and each of them are linked to soil properties and quality. Various types of forest management have different effects on these services, and knowledge on how the forest management can help maintain and enhance them is crucial to sound decision making in the forest sector and in policy development.

The conference is being arranged to properly round-off the activities of the SNS funded CAR-ES network for the 2011-2015 period. All researchers working with these topics are warmly invited to present their work. The conference will present state-of-the-art, and identify knowledge gaps to be addressed in the future. Also other stakeholders are invited to participate and present.

CAR – ES is hoping to see as many of you as possible!!

More information on the conference can be found on the conference homepage, as well as for registration and abstract submission.

Everyone with an interest in environmental services from forest is welcome! From the Nordic – Baltic countries and all over Europe!

On Monday the 25th of May, the EFINORD – SNS Phytophtora network met in Alnarp for a workshop on Phytophtora caused disease of forest trees in Northern Europe.

The goal of the meeting was to inform about basic biology and spreading of Phytophthora-diseases in forest trees; present the relevant ongoing research activities; and gather information about research needs and knowledge gaps from practical forestry, including urban forestry.

Phytophtora research in Southern Sweden and ongoing phosphite treatments of beech trees in Malmö’s Pildammsparken were presented by Michelle Cleary and Ann-Mari Fransson (both SLU). Iben Thomsen from KU in Denmark informed about Phytophtora – diseases in Denmark and Venche Talgø from Biofors, Norway presented the biology of and aetiology of Phytophtora.

The afternoon was spent to observe Phytophtora damages in the Alnarps park and having a look on ongoing research in the SLU laboratories in Alnarp.

This year SNS launches 3 general and on extra curricular call for funding research and networking activities with an overall budget of 11.000.000 SEK.

In order to spend that money wisely SNS invites for a Matchmaking day.

The purpose of this day is to make researchers meet in an inspiring atmosphere also together with stakeholders and policy makers. It is about networking, strengthening networks and to spark brilliant ideas for future networks and research projects that can be applied for at SNS.

For the program that can be seen in detail in the invitation attached to this email, selected speakers will inspire on 5 central topics:

Ecosystem Services

Climate / Climate change

Social Aspects of Forests

Technology in Wood and Forestry

Bioeconomy

Since the number of participants is limited to 50 out of administrative reasons, please register by sending me an email to: bodeker.sns@slu.seno later than the 15th of April 2015.

A number of networks have been set up and projects launched in the past two years since the European Commission appointed the Nordic Council of Ministers as Horizontal Action Leader for the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. A new three-year plan for the work was presented and discussed at a conference in Warsaw 4–5 March.

“Afforestation in Iceland has been a history of trials and errors, to see if anything could grow here. Now forestry has become a viable investment opportunity”, was one of the initial statements made at the NordGen Forest thematic day on tree breeding, held on 11 March 2015.

A successful thematic day was concluded with a tour to the forest of Einkunnir nature reserve. Photo: Edda Sigurdís Oddsdóttir